Electronic interval timer



Jan. 10, 1950 E. E. MOYER ET AL ELECTRONIC INTERVAL TIMER Filed Feb. 28, 1945 h'wventor St Elmo E. Meyer, Joseph S. Quill,

Their" Attorney:

Patented Jan. 10, 1950 ELECTRONIC INTERVAL TIMER Elmo E. Moyer, Scotia, and Joseph S. Quill, Schenectady, N. Y., assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application February 28, 1945, Serial No. 580,230

'7 Claims. (Cl. 175381) Our invention relates to electric control circuits and more particularly to improved electronic control circuits for measuring or indicating the time interval between two signal voltages which may be spaced in accordance with the happening of predetermined events or the attainment of predetermined conditions.

Our invention is particularly adapted for measuring the time interval between two signal voltages by charging a capacitor at constant rate during the interval. While not limited thereto, the control circuit may be employed for measuring the arcing time of contacts in an alternating current circuit, or for measuring the duration of contact bounce, for example, when a contact is subjected to shock. It is an important object of our invention to provide an improved circuit of this character which is relatively simple and which is flexible in the number of applications to which it may readily be adapted.

It is an object of our invention to provide a new and improved electric control circuit.

It is another object of our invention to provide a new and improved electronic interval timer.

It is still another object of our invention to proa vide a new and improved measuring circuit.

It is a still further object of our invention to provide an improved interval timer particularly adapted for measuring the arcing time of contacts connected in an electric circuit.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of our invention, a capacitor is charged at a constant rate'from a direct current circuit for the duration of an interval to be measured. The voltage acquired by the capacitor is an indication of the duration of the interval. An electric valve in circuit with the capacitor is rendered conducting at the beginning of the interval by a switching electric valve controlled by the initial input sig nal. A second switching electric valve associated with the control member of the charging electric valve is rendered conducting by the second signal impulse to render the charging electric valve nonconducting. An improved circuit is provided for controlling the switching valves so that the second electric valve may be rendered conducting by the absence of a control voltage, such as that resulting from the termination of current through arcing contacts, and provision is made for preventing the operation of this valve in response to the periodic current zeros appearing at the frequency of the alternating current circuit.

Our invention will be better understood by ref erence to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and its 5 scope will be pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawing, the single figure is a schematic representation of one embodiment of our invention employed for measuring the arc duration in an alternating current circuit.

Referring now to the drawing, we have shown our invention applied to an indicating circuit for determining the interval between the occurrence of a signal voltage across the input conductors I and 2 and the disappearance of a voltage across conductors 2 and 3. As illustrated in the drawing, the conductors I and 2 are connected to the stationary contacts 4 of a switch 5 which controls the energization of a three phase winding 6 from an alternating current supply circuit 1. The signal voltage appearing between conductors 2 and 3 is determined by the current flowing through a resistor 8 connected in series with the contacts 4 across which conductors I and 2 are connected.

Regulated direct current voltages of different magnitude for supplying the various circuit components are maintained on conductors 9I4, inclusive, by a supply circuit including a transformer I5 and a pair of electric discharge devices I6 and I1, each including a pair of discharge paths. As illustrated in the drawing, transformer I5 includes a primary winding I8 energized from a suitable source of alternating current I9 through a switch I9 and a mid-tapped secondary winding 20. Electric discharge device I1 and the winding 20 are connected to provide a biphase rectifier, the output of which is impressed across conductors 2| and 22. This voltage is filtered by series reactors 23 and 24 and shunt capacitors 25 and 26 and impressed across a series circuit including a resistor 21 and voltage regulating electric valves 28 and 29. The voltage maintained by valve 28 is impressed across conductors 9 and I0 and the voltage maintained by electric valve 29 is impressed across conductors I0 and I I. In a similar manner, winding 20 and electric discharge device I6 provide a biphase rectifier producing a direct current voltage across conductors 22 and 30. This voltage is filtered by series reactors 3I and 32 and shunt capacitors 33 and 33' and impressed on a circuit including resistor 34 and voltage regulating electric valves 35, 36 and 31 in series. The voltage of electric valve 35 is impressed across conductors I3 and I4; the voltage of electric valve 36 is impressed across conductors I2 and I3; and the voltage of electric valve 31 is impressed across conductors II and I2.

The interval between the signal voltages which it is desired to measure is determined by initiating conduction of an electric valve 38 in response to the first signal voltage and terminating conduction by this valve in response to the occurrence of the second signal voltage. The electric valve 38 as illustrated is a high vacuum valve of the pentode type having an anode 39 connected with the direct current conductor l8 through a milli-ammeter 40, a capacitor 41 and conductor 42, and the cathode connected with the direct current conductor l2 through a fixed resistor 43 and variable resistor 44. Since a pentode connected in this manner conducts at a constant rate, the charge on the capacitor 4| during conduction of valve 38 is a measure of the time interval between the voltage signals. The conduction or nonconduction of electric valve 38 is controlled by a, control member or grid 45 which is energized in accordance with the conduction of switching electric valves 46 and 41 which, as illustrated, are preferably of the type employing an ionizable medium. Electric valve 46 is connected for energization from the direct current conductors II and I3, with the cathode thereof connected to conductor I3 through a resistor 48 and the anode connected to conductor ll through a normally closed contact 49 of a resetting relay 50 having an operating coil The cathode of switching electric valve 41 is connected directly with conductor 13 and the anode thereof is connected with the cathode of electric valve 46 through a normally closed contact 52 on relay 58 and resistor 53.

The control member of electric valve 46 is connected to the cathode thereof through a current limiting resistor 54, resistor 55, resistor 56 and resistor 48. Resistor 56 is connected in series with a resistor 51 and across the direct current supply conductors l3 and [4 to provide a voltage dividing circuit, with resistor 56 and capacitor 58, which is connected in parallel therewith, providing a negative bias on the control member of tube 45. Resistor 55 is connected in the output of a biphase rectifier including an electric discharge device 59 and a midtapped secondary winding 68 of a transformer 6|. Transformer BI is connected to be energized in accordance with the signal voltage indicating the beginning of an interval to be timed to produce a positive voltage across resistor 55 and render electric valve 46 conductive. In a similar manner, the control member of electric valve 41 is connected with the cathode thereof through current limiting resistor 62, resistor 63 and voltage dividing resistor 56. A transient suppressing capacitor 64 is connected between the control member and the cathode. A voltage for rendering electric valve 41 conducting is provided by a biphase rectifier including an electric discharge device 65 and a midtapped secondary winding 66 of a transformer 61 which is connected to be energized to provide a voltage impulse in response to the electrical signal indicating the end of the interval to be timed.

The primary winding 69 of transformer BI is energized with a voltage impulse to render electric valve 46 conducting when a voltage is impressed across the conductors I and 2 or by the opening of the contacts 4 of the circuit breaker 5. As illustrated in the drawing, the primary Winding 69 of transformer 61 is connected with conductor l0 through resistor and with conductor 9 through a glow discharge device H and resistor 13 and with conductor l I through the same glow discharge device H and the anodeoathode circuit of an electric valve 12. The voltage of conductors 9 and H relative to conductor l8 and the breakdown characteristic of the discharge device H are such that when electric valve '12 conducts, discharge device 1| breaks down to supply a voltage impulse to transformer winding 69. Electric valve 12 is preferably of the high vacuum type with the anode thereof connected to the direct current supply conductor 9 through resistor 13 and with the cathode connected directly to conductor II. The control member of electric valve 12 is energized in accordance with the conductivity of an electric valve 14 which is, in turn, controlled in accordance with the voltage across conductors l and 2. As illustrated, the anode of electric valve 14 is connected to the direct current supply conductor I0 and the cathode of valve '14 is connected with conductor I3 through resistors 15 and 16. The control member of valve 12 is connected with an adjustable point on resistor 15 so that as valve 14 conducts more, the control member of valve 12 becomes more positive. The control member of electric valve 14 is connected with the direct current supply conductor H through a current limiting resistor 11 and a glow discharge device 18. An alternating voltage dependent upon the voltage across the conductors l and 2 is impressed across the glow discharge device 18 and if desired may be supplied by a secondary winding 19 of a signal transformer 88 having a primary winding 81 connected across conductors l and 2. A regulating resistor 82 in series with the discharge device 78 is provided to render the device 18 capable of limiting the voltage impressed on the control member of valve 14. Resistor 83 is preferably connected in shunt with the secondary winding 19 of the transformer 80.

' somewhat similar manner in response to the voltage across conductors 2 and 3. The primary winding 84 of transformer 61 is connected between conductor II and conductor 9 through a circuit including a glow discharge device 85 and a resistor 86. The glow discharge device 85 and winding 84 are shunted by the anode-cathode circuit of electric valves 81 and 88 which are connected in parallel and which provide means for maintaining the transformer winding deenergized as long as either one of the valves is conducting. Electric valves 81 and 88 are controlled in response to the energization of conductors 2 and 3 so that they remain conducting as long as an alternating current signal voltage appears across conductors 2 and 3. The control members of electric valves 81 and 88 are controlled, respectively, in accordance with the conduction of amplifying valves 89 and 90 which are, in turn, controlled in accordance with the voltage appearing across a secondary winding 9| of a control transformer 92, the primary winding 93 of which is energized from conductors 2v and 3. Electric valves 89 and 90 have a common cathode connection 94 connected to the direct current supply conductor I3 through resistor 95. The anode of electric valve 89 is connected with supply conductor 9 through resistor 96, and the anode of electric valve 90 is connected with the supply conductor 9 through resistor 91. The circuit including electric valve 89 and resistor 95 is shunted by a voltage dividing circuit including the series resistors 98, 99 and H10, while the circuit including electric valve 90 and resistor 95 is shunted by a voltage dividing circuit including resistors IUI,

I02 and I03. The control member of electric valve 81 is connected with an adjustable tap I04 of resistor 99 through a current limiting resistor I05. In a similar manner, control member of electric valve 88 is connected with adjustable tap I06 on resistor I02 through current limiting resistor I 'I. In this manner, electric valves 81 and 88 are controlled by conduction of electric valves 89 and 90, respectively. The control member of electric valve 89 is connected with one terminal of the secondary winding 9| of the signal transformer 92 and through a current limiting resistor I08, and the control member of electric valve 90 is connected through current limiting resistor I09 to the other terminal of the secondary winding 9|. A resistor H0 is preferably connected across the secondary winding 9|. With this arrangement, the control members of electric valves 89 and 90 are rendered more positive alternately at the frequency of the signal voltage impressed on the transformer 92 by the resistor 8. The alternate conduction of electric valves 89 and 90 effects alternate conduction of electric valves 81 and 88 to maintain both terminals of the transformer winding 84 at essentially the voltage of the direct current conductor I I. In order to prevent a voltage impulse from being impressed on transformer Winding 84 during the region of voltage zero of the alternating current voltage supplied by secondary winding 9 I, a capacitor II I is connected in parallel with the anode cathode circuits of electric valves 81 and 88. This capacitor delays the rise of voltage across the anodecathode circuits of valves 81 and B8 in the region of current zero through resistor 8. However, when the current signal disappears, the capacitor voltage rises quickly to the breakdown voltage of tube 85 and supplies a voltage impulse to primary winding 84,

As a means for measuring the voltage acquired by capacitor 4| during the interval between signal voltages between lines I and 2 and 2 and 3, we provide a measuring or indicatingcircuit including an electric discharge device 2 of the high vacuum type having the anode connected with direct current supply conductor 9 and the cathode connected with the direct current supply conductor II through the operating coil of a voltmeter indicated as a resistance II 3 and an adjustable resistor II4. member of electric valve 2 is connected with the more negative terminal of capacitor 4| so that the conductivity of electric valve II2 varies inversely in accordance with the voltage of capacitor 4|. From an inspection of the circuit just described, it will be apparent that the circult of electric valve 2 is essentially a. cathode follower circuit with voltmeter coil I|3 pro viding part of the total cathode circuit resistance.

In order to reset the system between measuring operations, the relay 50, previously described as having contacts 49 and 52 in circuit with the anode-cathode circuits of switching valves 46 and 41, is provided. This relay has in addition a normally open contact 5 which is connected in series with the discharge resistor H6 and across the terminals of capacitor 4|. Thus when the operating coil 5| of relay 50 is energized, capacitor 4| is discharged and the current in both switching valves 46 and 41 is extinguished. The circuits for controlling the energization of the resetting relay 50 will now be described. A secondary winding I I! of transformer I5 energizes a pair of alternatingcurrent lines H8. The

energizing coil 5| of the resetting relay 50 is The control connected across lines 8 through a normally open contact I I9 of a control relay I having an operating coil |2I connected for energization in accordance with the conductivity of an electric valve I22. The electric valve I22 is preferably of the high vacuum type and has the anode thereof connected to the direct current supply conductor 9 through an anode resistor I23, the operating coil I2I of relay I20 and either of two parallel circuits, one of which includes a normally open contact I24 of relay I20 and the other of which includes a normally open contact I25 of a relay I26. The control member of electric valve I22 is connected with the anodes of electric valves 81 and 88 through a circuit including a current limiting resistor I21 and a coupling capacitor I28 so that electric valve I22 is conductive when electric valves 81 and 88 are nonconductive. A resistor I29 connected between resistor I21 and the direct current supply conductor I0 completes the cathode-to-control member circuit of the electric valve I22. In order to effect re-energization of the control relay I20 and as a result an energization of relay 50 a predetermined interval of time after deenergization of the relay I20, we provide an electronic time delay circuit for controlling the energization of relay I20. This circuit may be any of the types well known in the art and in the preferred embodiment illustrated is of the type described and claimed in Schneider Patent 2,171,347, granted August 29, 1939.

Referring to the drawing, this time delay circuit is designated generally by the numeral I30 and comprises an auto-transformer I3| having a midterminal and one end terminal thereof energized from the alternating current supply lines H8. The time delay circuit includes an electric valve I32 having the anode thereof connected with the other end terminal of the winding I3I through the operating coil I33 of relay I26. The cathode of valve 32 is connected to the other extreme terminal of winding |3| through a normally closed initiating contact I34 on the control relay I20. The cathode is also connected with the intermediate terminal of winding |3| through a resistor I36. The control member of electric valve I32 is connected to an intermediate and adjustable point I35 on a voltage dividing circuit connected between the intermediate and one end terminal of winding I 3| and including a fixed resistor I31 and an adjustable resistor I38. The circuit of the control member includes a timing capacitor I39 and a parallel connected resistor 5 I40. As is well understood capacitor I39 charges through the grid cathode circuit of electric valve I32 when the contact I34 is open. When contact I34 closes, capacitor I39 discharges through resistor I40 and after a predetermined time delay 80 raises the voltage member of valve I32 sufficiently to effect energization of the coil I33 and operation of relay I26.

The features and advantages which characterize our invention will be better understood from 85 a brief consideration of the operation of the illustrated embodiment thereof in measuring the arcing interval of the contacts of the circuit breaker 5. With circuit breaker 5 open and switch I9 closed, the electric valves 81 and 88 are nonconducting; relay I26 is energized to close contact I25, and electric valve I22 is conducting.

Conduction by valve I22 energizes relay coil I2| to open contact I34 andclose contact II9 to energize relay 50. With relay 50 energized, capacitor 4| is discharged through contacts I I5 and switch,

ing electric valves 46 and 4! are maintained nonconducting by the open contacts 49 and 52 in the anode-cathode circuits thereof. If circuit breaker 4 is now closed, an alternating voltage appears across resistor 8. This voltage is impressed in opposite phase relation on the control members of electric valves 89 and 90, respectively, by the end terminals of secondary winding 9| of control transformer 92 to render valves 89 and 90 alternately conducting. Alternate conduction of valves 89 and 90 effects alternate conduction of electric valves 81 and 88 to maintain the voltage impressed on transformer 84 at substantially Zero. The capacitor III connected in shunt with electric valves Bl and 88 prevents any substantial rise in voltage across these valves during the region of current zero of the alternating current voltage appearing across resistor 8. Conduction by valves 81 and 88 depresses the control member of electric valve I22 to terminate conduction by this valve and drop out control relay I20. The deenergization of relay I drops out resetting relay 50 to condition the capacitor M and switching electric valves 46 and 41 for operation. Dropping out relay I28 also initiates the timing operation of electric valve I32 by closing the initiating contact I34. The timer I is adjusted so that the time interval is sufliciently long to permit an opening of the circuit breaker 4 and a reading of the voltage acquired by capacitor 4| from the time of the appearance of voltage across the contacts of breaker 5 and the termination of current flow through resistor 8. As soon as breaker 5 is open, a voltage impulse is impressed across conductors I and 2 which is stepped up by signal transformer 88 and is impressed on the circuit of electric valve I4. This voltage is impressed on the control member of electric valve I2 which is rendered conductive effectively to connect the discharge device II to the direct current supply conductor II. The voltage between supply conductors I0 and II is sufiicient to ionize the gas of discharge device II and supply a pulse of current to the primary winding 69 of transformer GI. This pulse is rectified by discharge device 58 and impressed across resistor 55 in control member circuit of switching valve which is rendered conductive by this rectified pulse of voltage, with the result that the control member 45 of electric valve 38 is raised to substantially the voltage of the direct current supply conductor I I, and electric valve 38 conducts current at a predetermined rate to charge capacitor 4| from the voltage appearing across conductors Ill and I2. As long as current flows through the arcing contacts, an alternating voltage appears across resistor 8 which is stepped up by the signal transformer 92 and impressed in opposite phase relation on the control members of electric valves 89 and 90 as previously described, thereby maintaining valves 81 and 88 alternately conducting and minimizing the voltage impressed across the series circuit including discharge device 85 and primary winding 84. When the current through the arcing contacts reduces below a predetermined value, the conductivity of electric valves 81 and 88 decreases to the point Where the voltage across series circuit including discharge device 85 and winding 84 is sufficient to ionize the gas of discharge device 85 and supply a pulse of current to the winding 84. This pulse of current produces a voltage peak in the secondary winding 66 which is rectified by the discharge device 65 and impressed across resistor 63 in the circuit of the control member of switching valve 41. This voltage renders electric valve 47 conducting and depresses the voltage of control member 45 of electric valve 38 to substantially the voltage of direct current supply conductor I 3. Since this voltage is substantially negative with respect to the cathode voltage of electric valve 38, conduction by this valve is terminated. Since the capacitor M is charged at a constant rate from the instant of appearance of the voltage signal across the contacts 4 of breaker 5 until the current in these contacts has been reduced to zero, the voltage acquired by the capacitor provides the measure of the arcing interval of the contacts. This voltage appears as a reading on voltmeter II3 connected in the cathode circuit of electric valve I I2 which is controlled essentially as a cathode follower. As the time interval increases, the voltage of capacitor 48 becomes more negative and the voltmeter I I3 reads less. The meter may be calibrated to read the interval by providing an inverse scale having a zero point corresponding to the deflection of the voltmeter when capacitor 4! is fully discharged. After the reading has been taken, relay I26 is picked up by operation of the time delay circuit I38 to again pick up relay I28 and relay 58 and reset the system and place it in condition for operation by another closure and opening of the breaker 5.

In the illustrated embodiment of our invention the system is utilized for measuring the arcing time of contacts in an alternating current circuit. It will be readily understood that the invention is equally applicable to direct current circuits and that in such an application the sig nal transformers 88 and 92 will be omitted and signal voltages impressed directly on the input circuits of electric valves 74, 89 and While we have shown and described a particular embodiment of our invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from our invention in its broader aspects, and we, therefore, aim in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of our invention.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination, a direct current supply circuit, a capacitor, an electric valve including a pair of principal electrodes and a control member, means connecting said principal electrodes and said capacitor for energization from said circuit to charge said capacitor at a predetermined rate when said electric valve is conducting, an electric discharge path connected in series circuit with a resistor and in series circuit with a second resistor and a second cleotlic discharge path between voltages of said supply circuit which when selectively applied to the control member of said electric valve will render said electric valve conducting nonconducting, a control circuit for said electric valve completed through said second resistor and said one of said discharge paths to said voltage of said supply circuit which renders said electric valve conducting and through said other of discharge paths to said voltage of said supply circuit which will render said electric valve nonconducting, a control member associated with each of said discharge paths for controlling its conductivity means including a pair of impulse circuits for producing voltages of peaked wave form for con trolling the energization of said control m mbers associated with said discharge paths and the conduction of said discharge paths, means responsive to an electrical condition for effecting operation of one of said impulse circuits to initiate conduction of said one of said discharge paths and the connection of said control member of said electric valve to said voltage of said supply circuit which renders said electric valve conducting to initiate charging of said capacitor, means responsive to a second electrical condition for initiating operation of the other of said impulse circuits to initiate conduction of said second of said discharge paths and the connection of said control member of said electric valve to said voltage of said supply circuit which renders said electric valve nonconducting and terminates charging of said capacitor whereby the charge on said capacitor is a measure of the time interval between the attainment of said first and second electrical conditions.

2. In combination, a direct current supply circuit, a capacitor, an electric valve including a pair of principal electrodes and a control member, means connecting said principal electrodes and said capacitor for energization from said circuit to charge said capacitor at a predetermined rate when said electric valve is conducting, switching means for controlling the energization of said control electrode to initiate and terminate conduction by said electric valve, means for controlling the operation of said switching means in response to a transient alternating electrical quantity to reverse the state of conductivity of said electric valve when the amplitude of said quantity falls below a predetermined value, and means for preventing said reversal in response to the periodic decrease in the instantaneous value of said alternating electrical quantity below said predetermined value so long as the amplitude of said alternating electrical quantity is greater than said predetermined value.

3. In combination, a direct current supply circuit, an electric discharge device of the type having a critical voltage of ionization and a transformer winding connected in a series circuit with one another, a pair of electric discharge paths connected in parallel with one another, a control member associated with each of said discharge paths for controlling its conductivity, means responsive to alternating voltages opposite in phase relative to one another for alternately applying to the control members associated with each of said discharge paths control voltages which render said discharge paths alternately conductive so long as the amplitude of said alternating voltages exceed a predetermined magnitude, and means including said parallel connected discharge paths for controlling the voltage applied by said supply circuit to said series circuit through said discharge device and said trans former winding in accordance with the controlled conductivities of said discharge paths.

4. In combination, a direct current supply circuit, an electric discharge device of the type having a critical voltage of ionization and a transformer winding connected in a series circuit with one another, a pair of electric discharge paths connected in parallel with one another, a control member associated with each of said discharge paths for controlling its conductivity, means responsive to alternating voltages opposite in phase relative to one another for alternately applying to the control members associated with each of said discharge paths control voltages which render said discharge paths alternately conductive so long as the amplitude of said alternating voltages exceed a predetermined magnitude, means including said parallel connected discharge paths for controlling the voltage applied by said supply circuit to said series circuit through said discharge device and said transformer winding in accordance with the controlled conductivities of said discharge paths, and means including a condenser connected in circuit with said parallel connected discharge paths for delaying an increase in voltage across said series circuit through said discharge device and said transformer winding during the interval that conduction is transferred from one of said discharge paths to the other.

5. In combination, a direct current supply circuit, an impulse circuit including a resistor, an electric discharge device having a critical voltage of ionization and a transformer winding connected in series with one another across said supply circuit, one terminal of the series circuit through said discharge device and said transformer winding being connected to one terminal of said supply circuit and the other terminal of said series circuit through said discharge device and said transformer winding being connected through said resistor to the other terminal of said supply circuit, a pair, of discharge paths connected in parallel with one another and as a unit in series with said resistor across said supply circuit, a condenser connected in parallel with said parallel connected discharge paths and in series with said resistor across said supply circuit, a control member associated with each of said discharge paths for controlling its conductivity, and means responsive to alternating voltages opposite in phase relative to one another for alternately applying to the control members associated with each of said discharge paths control voltages which render said discharge paths alternately conductive so long as the amplitude of said alternating voltages exceed a predetermined magnitude.

6. A system for measuring the interval between two signal voltages, comprising a direct current supply circuit, a timing circuit, a pair of gaseous discharge paths connected to be energized from said direct current supply circuit, a control member associated with each of said discharge paths for controlling its conductivity, means for impressing one of said signal voltages on one of said control members associated with one of said discharge paths to initiate conduction by said one of said discharge paths and thereby to initiate operation of said timing circuit, means for impressing the other of said signal voltages on the other of said control members associated with the other of said discharge paths to initiate conduction of said other of said discharge paths and thereby to terminate operation of said timing circuit, switching means in series with each of said discharge paths for terminating conduction of said discharge paths, and means including time delay means for operating said switching means to reset said system a predetermined interval of time after initiation of conduction of said other of said discharge paths.

'7. A system for measuring the duration of an arc in an alternating current circuit comprising a timing circuit, means for initiating operation of said timing circuit in response to the voltage of an are established in said alternating current circuit, and means for terminating operation of said timing circuit when the amplitude of the arc current falls to a predetermined value, said means including a direct current supply circuit, an electric discharge device of the type having a criti- 11 cal voltage of ionization and a transformer winding connected in a series circuit with one another, a pair of electric discharge paths connected in parallel with one another, a control member associated with each of said discharge paths for controlling its conductivity, means for generating alternating voltages which are opposite in phase relative to one another and whose amplitudes vary as the amplitude of said are current, means responsive to said alternating voltages for alternately applying to the control members associated with each of said discharge paths control voltages which render said discharge paths alternately conductive so long as the amplitude of said alternating voltages exceeds a predetermined magnitude, means including said parallel connected discharge paths for controlling the voltage applied by said supply circuit to said series circuit through said discharge device and said transformer winding in accordance with the controlled conductivities of said discharge paths, and means including a condenser connected in shunt circuit with said parallel connected discharge paths for delaying an increase in voltage across said series circuit through said discharge device and said transformer winding during the interval that conduction is transferred from one of said discharge paths to the other.

ELMO E. MOYER. JOSEPH S. QUILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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